


Leverage

by Spikedluv



Series: You've Made Your Bed [2]
Category: Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. (TV), Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Avengers (Marvel Movies)
Genre: Episode Tag, M/M, Sequel
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-04-07
Updated: 2015-04-07
Packaged: 2018-03-21 18:30:07
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 6,889
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3701987
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Spikedluv/pseuds/Spikedluv
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Phil Coulson fights back.</p><p> </p><p>  <i>“They took my home, my team, my weapons.”  He paused for effect, and the satisfaction his next words gave him.  “I’m going to take theirs.”</i></p>
            </blockquote>





	Leverage

**Author's Note:**

> W00t! I got this story finished before the next ep airs! i wasn't sure if I would.
> 
> Tag to AoS 2.15 One Door Closes and sequel to [now lie in it](http://archiveofourown.org/works/3654702).
> 
> Please note that there is a spoiler for the promo clip for 2.16 Afterlife, though if you haven’t seen the clip you will probably not realize it’s a spoiler when you read the fic, if that makes sense. You’ll think it’s my own brilliant idea, even though it’s not. *g*
> 
> Cameos by other The Avengers and SHIELD characters.
> 
> Written: April 7, 2015

“So, what’s next?” Hunter said as he twirled the umbrella that had come with his drink between his fingers.

“We wait,” Phil said, though he hated waiting. He’d gotten accustomed to having to do so during his years with SHIELD, but it never got easier.

“For what?”

“My contact.”

“You have a contact,” Hunter said dryly.

“I do,” Phil said. “And he’s late.”

“I’m not late,” Clint said as he slid onto the stool to Phil’s left. “I just like to gauge my entrance.”

Phil bit his lip to hide his smile.

“Barton?” Hunter said in dismay.

“Hunter,” Clint replied.

“Barton’s your contact?” Hunter said incredulously to Phil.

“He is,” Phil said. To Clint, he said, “Status?”

“Mission accomplished,” Clint said. “Did you really expect anything less?”

“No,” Phil said, unable to hide the warmth in his tone.

“Oh my god,” Hunter said. He tapped his empty cup on the bar top. “I need another one of these.”

“No time,” Phil said. “We’re going to be leaving shortly.”

“Don’t tell me,” Hunter said, “we’re waiting for another contact.”

“Something like that,” Phil said, stiffening and then relaxing when an arm went around his neck and a voice spoke in his ear.

“I should punch you in the kidney for letting us think you were dead.”

“I thought you cautioned Clint against violence,” Phil said, only half worried that Natasha might make good on her threat.

“That’s because he wanted to get into your pants and he’d have felt too guilty about punching you to make a move,” Natasha said.

“TMI,” Hunter said. “Seriously, I need another drink for this.”

“Did you get what you needed?” Phil asked Natasha.

“Tony’s working on it as we speak.”

“Tony? Tony Stark?” Hunter said.

“Good,” Phil said. “Then let’s get out of here.”

“How are we going to do that?” Hunter asked.

“How do you think we got here?” Clint said.

“Probably not 12 hours in a one-person submarine,” Hunter said.

Phil slid off his stool and Clint followed suit. Phil reached back and grabbed the napkin Hunter had signed, folded it and put it in his pocket.

“You’re keeping that?” Hunter said.

“It’s a binding contract,” Phil said.

Clint took Phil’s hand as they walked across the sand away from the tiki bar. Natasha threw her arm around Hunter’s shoulders.

“What is she doing?” Hunter said, eyeing Natasha’s arm warily.

“Just two couples walking along the beach,” Clint said. “Nothing to see here.”

“You’re not going to kill me and leave my body here to rot, are you?” Hunter said when they finally reached an area of deserted beach.

“Why would we do that?” Clint said with a not very convincing smile.

Before Phil could remind Clint that they were on the same team, Clint used the remote to open the hatch on the Quinjet. Somehow he and Natasha managed to coordinate things so that both hatches opened at the same time.

“We have two Quinjets?” Hunter said.

“More importantly, we have Hawkeye and Black Widow,” Phil said. He looked at the Quinjets, still mostly hidden behind their cloaking technology. “I may be down, but I’m not out.”

“Your confidence makes me hot,” Clint said.

“I’m the Director of SHIELD,” Phil said. “For the moment, anyway. I’m trying to command some respect here.” He headed towards the ramp.

Clint followed. “You can command my respect and anything else you want. By the way, is it true they had you in handcuffs? I’d have given anything to see that.”

“Are they going to have sex on the jet?” Hunter asked Natasha.

“No!” Phil called back at the same time Clint said, “Yes!”

Clint shot Hunter a look over his shoulder and winked.

Hunter shuddered. “I’m riding with you,” he told Natasha.

~*~

“That was mean,” Phil said as Clint closed the hatch behind them.

“I didn’t want Nat to have to ride alone,” Clint said.

“You’re hoping Natasha kills him,” Phil remarked.

“Would I do that?” Clint said.

“Yes,” Phil said dryly.

“You look tired,” Clint said.

Phil stopped in the process of saying, “I’m fine,” and instead said, “A little. What about you?”

“I could use a nap,” Clint agreed, then ruined it by waggling his eyebrows at Phil.

Phil rolled his eyes, but he had to admit that the exchange had given him a second wind.

They buckled themselves into the seats in the cockpit and Clint went through the start-up checklist and systems check. Phil put on his headset and relayed the coordinates to Clint and Natasha. He watched the beach recede as Clint lifted off.

The next thing Phil knew, Clint was gently shaking him awake and holding out the headset that had fallen off while he slept. “How long was I out?” he asked.

“Not long,” Clint hedged. “We’re almost there.”

“Turn off the cloak,” Phil said.

Alarms immediately began to shrill when weapons locked onto the Quinjet. Phil input the access code and a message flashed across the screen.

**Welcome, Director Coulson.**

The alarms fell silent and Clint let out a breath. “Glad that worked.”

“Me, too,” Phil said.

“You had doubts?” Clint’s eyes went wide.

“Some,” Phil admitted.

“Jesus,” Clint said. “I’m kinda glad I didn’t know that.”

“I would’ve liked to know that,” Natasha said over comms.

The bay doors retracted into the ground beneath them and Clint lowered the Quinjet into the hangar. There was barely a bump when Clint set her down. He shut down the engines and opened the hatch. Koenig was waiting for them when they reached the bottom of the ramp.

“Billy?” Clint said.

“Sam, actually,” Sam Koenig said.

“How many of them are there?” Clint asked Phil.

Before Phil could answer, Natasha and Hunter joined them.

“Where are we?” Hunter said as he looked around them.

“Sooper Sekrit Bunker,” Clint said.

“One of Fury’s secret bunkers,” Phil agreed.

“Another one?” Hunter said. “How many of them are there?”

Clint snorted.

“Let’s hope we don’t have to find out,” Phil said, though he didn’t know which one of them he was answering.

Phil turned his attention to Sam. “Thank you for letting us in.”

“Of course, Director Coulson, welcome!” Sam said. “Would you like the tour, sir?”

“Maybe later,” Phil said. “Can you just show us to a conference room for now?”

“Certainly,” Sam said. “Please follow me.”

“Food,” Clint interjected.

Phil wanted to disagree, but he had to admit that the nap had done him good, and it had been a while since he’d eaten. Food would probably do them all some good. “And coffee,” Phil said.

“Of course, Director.”

Clint didn’t say anything, didn’t even look at Phil, but he could tell by the way he relaxed that he was pleased Phil hadn’t put up a fight.

The moment Sam left them alone in the conference room, Phil said, “Contact Stark, see if he’s found anything yet.”

Tony said, “Please, who do you think you’re dealing with, an amateur?” when Natasha got a hold of him.

“What did you find?” Phil said.

“Agent,” Tony said. “So nice to hear your voice.”

“I thought it was Phil now,” Phil said.

“It was Phil when I thought you’d died heroically, if stupidly; it’s gonna be Agent until I decide to forgive you for lying to us,” Tony said.

“Fair enough,” Phil said. “Though technically it’s Director now.”

Clint bit the inside of his cheek and turned away from the screen so Tony didn’t see his struggle not to laugh.

“Are you seriously playing the ‘I’m the Director now’ card?”

“Unless you want to skip right to the part where you tell me what you found,” Phil said.

Tony made a disgusted sound, but then dove right into telling them what he’d uncovered because, face it, there was no one Tony loved talking about more than himself. Because the submarine had been set up so that the helicarrier could not only track it, but direct it, Tony had been able to trace that connection back to gather intel on the helicarrer, like the coordinates for where it had been when the sub launched.

He also isolated the computer signals so they could track it, even when it was cloaked. As Phil had suspected, they’d moved the helicarrier closer when they attacked the old SSR bunker he’d been using as a base.

“It’s great that we can track the helicarrier now,” Hunter said, “but how exactly does that help us?”

“Hey, who’s the new guy?” Tony said. 

Phil ignored Tony and responded to Hunter. “They took my home, my team, my weapons.” He paused for effect, and the satisfaction his next words gave him. “I’m going to take theirs.”

There was a moment of stunned silence, then it was broken. Tony laughed, Hunter said, “What?”, Clint fist bumped Natasha, then hip checked Phil.

“Go big or go home,” Clint said.

Phil grinned at Clint. God, he’d missed this, the thrill of planning ops with Clint and Natasha. He thought maybe Clint had, too, if the soft look in his eyes could be believed.

“They’re doing it again,” Hunter said. “Have they always done that?”

“Yes,” Natasha said. “And I thought it was bad enough _before_ they slept together.”

“What?” Clint squawked.

“Who slept together?” Tony demanded. “Agent and Birdman?”

“Oops, food’s here,” Clint said, and it wasn’t even a lie.

“Just some soup and sandwiches,” Sam apologized, but it smelled amazing and Sam smiled when Phil told him so.

“Meet again in an hour,” Clint said. “Tony, see if you can get Cap to sit in.”

Tony made a face, but said, “Will do.”

“Tony, wait,” Phil said. “A member of my team was at Fury’s cabin. Can you find out what happened up there?”

“Skye?” Hunter said.

Phil gave him a grave nod.

“I can do that,” Tony said. “I’ll let you know what I find.”

“Thank you, Tony,” Phil said.

There was a pause before Tony replied, sounding surprised, “You’re welcome. Agent,” he added before disconnecting from comms.

“Okay,” Phil said, suddenly starving, “let’s eat; we’ve got a long night ahead of us.”

After they ate, Phil sent Clint with Sam to inventory the bunker’s stash of weapons. Though he, Clint and Natasha had all been on board a helicarrier, Phil had Natasha pull up the schematics and Hunter told them what he remembered from his mad dash for freedom.

An hour on the dot after he’d signed off, Tony was back, and he didn’t look happy. “Bad news,” he said. “Your girl’s gone.”

“They took her?” Phil said, worried about what the so-called “real” SHIELD might do to Skye.

Tony shook his head. “Someone else did.”

Tony played satellite footage of the gunfight at the cabin that culminated in Skye being shot at and then disappearing in a flash of green light.

“You didn’t mention that she had powers,” Tony said.

“They only recently manifested,” Phil said. “She’s still learning how to control them.”

“I can see that,” Tony said.

“Okay,” Phil said, pushing down his concern for Skye’s safety. “First things first, the helicarrier. We’ve been going over the schematics, looking for a way in.”

“Can’t we just let Barton loose?” Tony said, with no regard for tact.

Instead of closing down, Clint said, “We aren’t trying to crash it, Stark.”

Tony grinned at Clint, sort of pleased and a little bit abashed. “If it has a computer I can hack it. I can get you in, but what’s the plan once you’re on board?”

“We’re still working on that,” Phil said.

“Where’s Steve?” Natasha said sharply.

“Yeah, about that,” Tony said. “Steve said to tell you that he’s happy you’re alive, Agent, but he didn’t take down SHIELD so it could grow two more heads. He muttered something about SHIELD being worse than Hydra and then went off to chase another lead on his boyfriend Barnes.”

Phil nodded. He was disappointed, of course, but not really all that surprised. Nick had told him enough about what had happened when SHIELD fell that he figured Steve wouldn’t be thrilled to see the organization being resurrected.

“But there’s someone else who has offered to help,” Tony said. He stepped back to allow that someone else to move into view.

“Maria,” Phil said, surprised.

“Coulson,” Maria said, then she smiled. “It’s good to see you, Phil.”

“It’s good to see you, too, Maria.”

“So,” Maria said. “What’s the plan?”

“I want control of their helicarrier,” Phil said.

“What are you going to do with a helicarrier?” Maria asked. “Do you even have enough people to staff it?”

“No,” Phil admitted, “but I don’t want to keep it. Though that would be pretty cool. I just don’t want them to have access to it.”

“Leverage,” Maria said.

“Leverage,” Phil agreed.

~*~

Phil only agreed to a shower and a nap because it would be hours before Tony could work his magic and get into position, and Clint promised to wake him immediately if anything came up. The fact that Clint also offered to wash his back had nothing to do with it, no matter what Natasha said.

Well, almost nothing. Phil really had been sold on the idea of getting some much needed rest while they could. Who knew when they might get the opportunity again. The back washing was just a bonus.

And a dream never to be realized because one person could barely fit in the shower alone, much less with company. Clint gave Phil an apologetic look and said, “Massage instead?”

So Phil took a quick shower and laid down naked on the bed to wait for Clint to finish his shower. The last thing he remembered was listening to Clint sing “Proud Mary” in the shower.

Clint was already dressed and he’d brought breakfast when he woke Phil with a kiss.

“I fell asleep,” Phil said dumbly.

Clint smiled. “Apparently you needed sleep more than you needed my extra special massage.”

“I *wanted* the massage more,” Phil said, which made Clint’s smile widen.

“I’m glad to hear it. Here, I brought breakfast.”

Phil pulled on his underwear and slacks before sitting at the small table with Clint. “You didn’t make this,” Phil said as he eyed the eggs and toast. There wasn’t a runny egg white or burnt slice of toast in sight.

“I didn’t say I made it,” Clint said, biting into a triangle of toast. “I said I _brought_ it. Turns out Hunter’s good for something after all,” Clint added as he picked up a fork.

“Are you gonna be alright working with Hunter?” Phil asked. He took the folded square of napkin out of his pants pocket and opened it, smoothed it flat on the table so Clint could see Hunter’s signature. “He’s signed on as a full-fledged agent, and if you’re going to be my consultant . . .”

“And liaison,” Clint said as he forked some egg onto toast and bit into it.

“Liaison?”

“With the Avengers,” Clint said after he’d finished chewing. “You’re gonna need one of those, too, probably.”

“I’m not sure Steve would agree,” Phil said.

Clint shrugged. “He’ll come around. He’s got a lot on his plate right now.”

“We could help with that,” Phil said. “We’re trying to shut down Hydra, too.” He shook his head. “A conversation for another day, maybe. We’ve got a full plate right now, too.”

“Mmm,” Phil said approvingly after he took a bite of egg. “I wonder how Hunter would feel about being in charge of the mess.”

“Can I be there when you tell him?” Clint said gleefully.

Phil smiled. They ate a few bites in a comfortable, familiar silence.

“So,” Phil said. “A consultant _and_ a liaison. Sounds like you plan on sticking around.”

“And being indispensable,” Clint joked, but from the look on his face it was closer to the truth than he’d like to admit.

“That was never in question,” Phil said. “I hope you know that.”

Clint shrugged, but before Phil could say anything his comms chirped.

“We’re talking about this,” Phil said before he answered. “Coulson.”

“Tony’s moving into position,” Natasha said. “We’re monitoring everything from here.”

“We’ll be right there,” Phil said, watching Clint, who was already stacking plates of unfinished food back onto the tray.

“I’ll drop these off in the kitchen while you get dressed,” Clint said.

“Clint . . .”

Clint gave Phil a quick kiss, and then leaned in for another and a lingering grope of his ass. “I’ll meet you there.”

Phil shook himself out of the daze Clint’s kiss had left him in and hurried to get dressed. He didn’t like to appear in disarray in front of others, since a well-pressed suit was sometimes the only armor he had, but now that things were in motion he didn’t want to miss anything, so he rushed out of the room with his jacket over one arm and was fastening his cuffs when Clint met him in the hallway.

Clint smiled when he saw Phil.

“What?”

Clint’s smile widened, but he shook his head. He took Phil’s suit jacket and held it for him to slip his arms into the sleeves.

“Thank you,” Phil said as he snapped his cuffs and then buttoned the jacket.

“You’re welcome,” Clint said, and for a second Phil thought Clint was going to kiss him again, but he just said, “I’m looking forward to seeing you in action again. Sir.”

They walked into Ops together, and both Hunter and Natasha looked up. Before Hunter could say anything, Phil said, “Status?”

“Stark is nearly in place,” Natasha said as she held out earpieces for Phil and Clint. “And he’s having way too much fun.”

“I’m sure Tony doesn’t think so,” Phil said, taking the earpiece out of her palm.

Natasha huffed. “He said, you can never have too much fun.”

Phil slipped the earpiece in. “As long as he’s getting the job done.”

“Agent!” Tony said. “You’re awake! Did Katniss wear you out?”

“I’m gonna wear you out,” Clint said.

“Ooh, kinky.”

“What’s your status, Stark?” Phil said, trying to bring everyone back on track. He’d forgotten how working with Stark was like working with a roomful of 12 year olds.

“I’m ready to pass the baton,” Tony said. “You’re on, Agent.”

Phil sat in front of the communications console and made the call. He wasn’t surprised when Bobbi’s face appeared on the screen.

“Coulson,” Bobbi said. She sounded serious, but not unkind.

“Agent Morse,” Phil said.

Phil supposed he should’ve anticipated Hunter leaning in front of him and placing his face close to the camera.

“Hello, Bobbi.”

“Hunter,” Bobbi said, actually sounding relieved to see him. “It’s good to see you.”

“Really,” Hunter said, disbelieving.

“Yes,” Bobbi said. She looked uncomfortable, but sincere. “I’m glad you’re alright.”

“Well, I’m certainly looking forward to seeing you and Mack again,” Hunter said.

Bobbi compressed her lips at the implied threat.

“As interesting as this reunion is, could I maybe speak now?” Phil said.

“Sorry, Director,” Hunter said, but he gave Bobbi a long look before stepping back.

Bobbi looked at Phil. “Are you ready to turn yourself in?”

“Not exactly,” Phil said. “I was hoping to speak with Commander Gonzales.”

“Commander Gonzales is in a meeting,” Bobbi said, and even though Phil knew it was a lie – even if Gonzales _had_ been in a meeting when Phil called, he’d have been contacted immediately – he couldn’t see it on Bobbi’s face, hear it in her voice. She was good; no wonder she’d been able to fool him so thoroughly.

“Perhaps you could get a message to him, then,” Phil said. “Tell him I’d like to open negotiations.”

“Negotiations,” Bobbi repeated with just enough inflection for Phil to catch her unspoken, “Are you kidding me?” Aloud, she said, “The terms of your surrender?”

“Yours, actually,” Phil said.

“Ours?”

“Yes. I want you to release my people and get the hell out of my base,” Phil said.

“I’m not sure you realize the precariousness of your position,” Bobbi told Phil, like she was trying to convince him of something. “You don’t have any resources.”

Phil shrugged. “I’m used to working with what I have. How about you?”

“How about me what?” Bobbi said.

“Are you used to working with what you have?”

“Since SHIELD fell we’ve learned to make do,” Bobbi said.

“Make due with a helicarrier,” Phil said, and watched Bobbi stiffen. “What if you didn’t have that anymore? What if someone tried to take _your_ people and your base?”

The angle of the camera shifted and Commander Gonzales’ face filled the screen. “What have you done, Coulson?”

“What could I do?” Phil said with faux innocence. “You’ve confiscated all my resources. Well, most of them.”

“Get the _Iliad_ on comms,” Gonzales ordered, and there was a sudden flurry of silent activity.

Phil observed a tense moment as they tried to contact the ship, and failed. Finally someone said, “There’s no reply; comms must be down.”

Gonzales looked at Phil. “What kind of game are you playing, Coulson?”

“If you know me at all, Commander, you know I don’t play games,” Phil said. “At least, not ones I can’t win.”

That didn’t mean he couldn’t bluff with the best of them. Phil signaled Natasha, who in turn signaled Tony that he was up, and a moment later a relieved voice said, “Commander, the _Iliad_ is hailing us.”

“On screen,” Gonzales said.

Phil’s screen split, showing him Gonzales on one half and the bridge of the _Iliad_ on the other.

“Commander,” the agent said. “I’m afraid we’ve been locked out of our systems.”

“Which ones?” Gonzales demanded.

“All of them, sir.”

“Are you trying to get them back?”

A change in the direction the camera was facing gave Phil a moment of vertigo, and then the image of Tony Stark lounging in the Commander’s chair filled half the screen.

“They are,” Tony said. “And quite valiantly, I might add.” He leaned closer to the camera, as if imparting a secret. “Personally, I don’t think they’re going to succeed.” Tony leaned back in the chair. “What do you think, JARVIS?”

“I estimate a 19.374 probability of success,” JARVIS intoned.

“Why are you on my ship, Mr. Stark?” Gonzales said.

“My ship,” Tony corrected.

“Excuse me?”

“It’s my ship now,” Tony corrected. “Possession being nine-tenths of the law. And also, I’ve got control of the systems.”

“What’s stopping me from ordering Agent Malone to shoot you right now?” Gonzales said, and the agent standing beside Tony blanched.

“Publicity,” Tony said. “The bad kind. Did I forget to mention that everything is being recorded and if anything happens to any of us, JARVIS will release that recording to the general public, and then HYDRA, and worse, General Talbot, will know that you exist. I’ve heard he’s not a big fan of SHIELD right now.”

Tony crossed his hands over his stomach as if he didn’t have a car in the world. “Though, to be fair, they did try to stop us from boarding.”

Gonzales’ eyes narrowed. “How many of my people did you kill in this little coup?”

“Coup?” Tony said. “This wasn’t a coup! And also, none!” He gave Gonzales an ‘oops’ look. “Though there were a couple of minor injuries in the short-lived, uh, scuffle. Pepper accidentally broke a guy’s wrist when he pointed a gun at me . . .”

Pepper ducked into view. “I feel really bad about that, but I saw the gun and just reacted. Oh, hi, Phil!”

“Hi, Pepper.” Phil waved.

“And Maria kneed someone in the groin when he grabbed her arm.”

“I’m not sorry,” Maria said.

“What exactly do you hope to accomplish, Mr. Stark?” Gonzales said.

“I’ve already accomplished it,” Tony said. “Your ship is now my ship.”

“You have no right . . . ,” Gonzales began.

“I have every right,” Tony interrupted.

Phil watched Commander Gonzales fume silently and wondered if that’s what he looked like when he had to deal with Tony Stark.

Tony held up a legal document that looked legit. (Though Phil wouldn’t put it past Tony to have legal counsel on retainer day and night to draft just such documents.)

“I’m foreclosing.”

“You’re what?”

“Foreclosing,” Tony repeated. “When SHIELD . . . closed shop, they still owed me quite a bit of money. I’d resigned myself to never collecting, since, you know, there didn’t seem to be anything to collect, but then I learned that this ship still existed. And here I am.”

“I suppose we have you to thank for this,” Gonzales said to Phil.

Phil held up his hands. “I mentioned it to Tony, but I had no idea he was going to do this.” Which was nothing but the truth. Tony had said, “Let me handle it,” and then he’d signed off and they couldn’t get him back, and so Phil had had no choice but to let Tony handle it.

“It was just fortuitous, then, that he boarded my ship when he did?”

“Oh, no,” Phil said. “I needed to get your attention. And now you’re cut off from your people and your base, just like you cut me off from mine. Even the playing field, so to speak. Tony, as he so often does, took the idea and ran with it.”

“I’m thinking of renaming her _The Avenger_ ,” Tony interjected. “What do you think, Legolas?”

Clint moved into view of the camera, placing a supportive hand on Phil’s shoulder. “It’s a little on point, isn’t it, Tony? I would’ve pegged you for something flashier.”

“Don’t encourage him, Clint,” Pepper said from off-screen.

“Barton?” Bobbi said.

“Bobbi,” Clint said. “Long time. Still making friends wherever you go, I see.”

Bobbi looked like she wanted to say something, but she glanced at Gonzales and just tightened her lips and remained silent.

“Agent Barton,” Gonzales said. “I didn’t know you were still a SHIELD agent.”

“I’m not,” Clint said. “I didn’t know anyone was getting the band back together. Besides, haven’t you heard? I’m an Avenger now.”

“And yet you’re there with Coulson,” Gonzales said.

“He called, said he needed a ride,” Clint said.

“And of course you immediately went to him,” Bobbi said, sounding almost bitter.

“Still jealous after all these years, Bobbi?” Hunter said, and Bobbi turned her glare onto him.

“I think we’ve gotten off-track here,” Phil said.

“What’s your position with respect to Coulson, Barton?” Gonzales demanded.

“Oh my god,” Hunter said. “Did you really have to ask that?”

Clint smirked. “That’s a little personal, Commander, don’t you think?”

“Jesus,” Bobbi said.

“So you’re in a personal relationship with Coulson,” Gonzales said, not sounding surprised. “Which means you’ve been compromised.”

“Not nearly enough,” Clint said.

“You’re not helping,” Phil said dryly.

Clint opened his mouth.

“Don’t say it,” Phil warned.

Clint grinned and stepped back.

“I’m still curious as to why Barton is there with you,” Gonzales said to Phil.

“Consultant,” Phil said with a straight face. “He’s got a specialized set of skills that I can take advantage of.”

“And has,” Hunter groused. “More than once.”

“And liaison,” Clint ducked back in to say.

“Though the terms haven’t been worked out on that yet,” Phil said.

“If by ‘worked out’ you mean . . . ,” Clint began.

“Please don’t say it,” Hunter said.

“You have something of mine,” Phil said, ignoring the exchange behind him. “I want it back.”

“You’ve been compromised, Coulson,” Gonzales said.

“Haven’t we all?” Phil said.

“SHIELD needs leaders who can be trusted to do the right thing,” Gonzales said.

“Like you?” Phil said. “And Agent Calderon?” The name came out harsher than he’d intended, because every time he thought that man’s name he imagined Skye, alone and scared. “Just who died and put you in charge?”

“I could ask the same,” Gonzales said.

“Director Nick Fury, actually,” Phil said. “Which you already knew, or you wouldn’t have sent in spies to look for the Toolbox.”

“There were too many secrets and lies when Fury was in charge,” Gonzales said.

“How are you any better?” Phil said. “My team and I have been working our asses off to rebuild SHIELD, to stay one step ahead of Whitehall and HYDRA, and to make an ally instead of an enemy of General Talbot, while you’ve been out there this entire time, hiding in the shadows rather than lending a hand, spying on us instead of trying to stop HYDRA!”

“I guess we’ll have to agree to disagree on that point,” Gonzales said.

“I guess we will,” Phil said. “But here’s something we won’t disagree on – you have something that belongs to me, and I want it back.”

“Or what?” Gonzales said.

“Or I’m going to come in and take it back. And I’m not going to be happy when I get there.”

“You really think you can retake this base?”

“Do you really think you can hold out without back-up?” Phil said.

“What about my ship?”

“I bet Steve could use a ship like this in his one-man mission to clean up Hydra,” Tony commented idly.

“We’ll talk about that after you let my agents go,” Phil told Gonzales.

“I’ll need to bring in the rest of the council for any negotiations,” Gonzales said.

It was a stall tactic, but that’s what Phil needed. “You do that,” he said. “But don’t keep me waiting too long. I don’t have as much patience since I died.”

Phil let them cut the connection on the other end. “Are we off?” he asked Natasha, just to be sure.

“Yes,” Natasha said.

Phil sighed and leaned back. “Did it work?”

“Yep!” Tony crowed. “We now have eyes and ears inside the base.”

“Did you just announce that to the entire bridge?” Phil said tiredly.

“Do I look stupid enough to . . . don’t answer that.”

“We’ve cleared the bridge,” Maria assured Phil.

But Phil was only half paying attention, his mind already moving two steps ahead. “Okay, bring them up,” he said, and almost immediately the feeds from every security camera in the Playground filled his screen. Phil’s throat closed up when he realized that all of his agents appeared to be unharmed, if being held under armed guard. So much for Gonzales’ claim that they were free to make their own decision.

Phil handed out assignments – Natasha would follow Bobbi and Mack, once he was located, because she wasn’t personally involved with either of them; Hunter had to find Fitz and Simmons and see if there was a way to contact them; Phil was going to follow Gonzales; and Clint was going to see what the rest of the council was up to. As luck would have it, Gonzales and Bobbi stayed together and went to the lab where the were holding Fitz and Simmons.

Clint had headphones on as he scoured the feeds for the other members of the council, so Phil turned up the audio so they could all hear what Gonzales had to say. Since the cameras themselves weren’t equipped with audio, they were receiving it from any device that had been left in the vicinity, and so there was some static and echo, but they could still make it out.

Phil was bombarded with conflicting emotions of pride and anger when he saw Gonzales and Bobbi approach Fitz and Simmons, heard Gonzales’ offer, watched Simmons stand up for Fitz, and Fitz ultimately choose to leave rather than to try and access the Toolbox for Gonzales.

Phil stood, too excited to remain seated. “Hunter, Fitz will be headed to his quarters, we need to follow him. Tony, get his attention.”

Tony sputtered. “How?”

“I don’t know, flash a computer screen at him, or something. But be discreet.”

Natasha snorted at that. Clint glanced over to see what Phil’s agitation was about, gave him a thumbs up, and then went back to his own task.

“Oh, sure,” Tony groused, “just flash a computer screen at him or something, but be discreet.”

One of the tablets lying on the work table turned on and off when Fitz passed it, but his focus was directed inward and he didn’t notice it. Fitz did a double-take when a second tablet flashed on and off, as if he wasn’t sure what he was seeing. He stumbled into the table and tucked the third tablet against his body when it flashed.

“Do I have access to that tablet yet?” Phil said, sitting back down at his console.

“Jesus,” Tony said, “you make it sound so . . . alright, you will in 10, 9, 8, now!”

“I don’t think he knows how to count,” Hunter commented from where he was keeping an eye on Simmons.

On screen, Bobbi reached out to see if Fitz was alright, but he shrugged off her hand and hunched even further into himself, hiding the tablet from her sight. Phil started typing before Fitz was safely inside his quarters, trusting him to keep the tablet out of enemy hands.

**Fitz, it’s Phil Coulson. I’m fine, and so is Hunter. How are you? Just speak and we’ll hear you.**

And then he had to wait for Fitz to be alone so he could read the screen. Phil lost sight of Fitz when he entered his room, since the only camera in there with him was the one in the tablet, and Fitz was still hunched over enough that all Phil could see past his arm was a sliver of the floor. Phil held his breath, as he imagined Fitz doing the same while they both waited to see if Bobbi would allow him the privacy of his quarters.

“Agent Morse has taken up position outside the room,” Natasha informed them.

“Good,” Phil said. “Keep an eye on her.”

While Fitz was unmoving, Phil checked on the others. “Simmons?”

“Still in the lab,” Hunter reported.

“Gonzales?”

“He just joined the others,” Clint said. He’d pushed the headphones back so they only covered one ear and Phil had to quash the impulse to smooth down his hair where it stuck up.

“Find out everything you can about their plans,” Phil said.

Clint nodded and readjusted the headphones. Phil turned back to the screen just as Fitz moved away from the door. The tablet moved and Phil hoped that Fitz was reading the message he’d typed. A moment later Fitz spoke.

“I’m fine, I guess,” Fitz said. “What’s going on? Agent Gonzales seems pretty eager to get into the Toolbox, or whatever that thing is.”

**He’s just pissed,** Phil typed. **I took his helicarrier away from him.**

“He had a helicarrier? Wait, you’re _on_ a helicarrier?”

**Stark is.**

“Iron Man is on the helicarrier? Where are you?”

 **Another one of Fury’s secret bunkers,** Phil typed.

“How many of them are there?”

Hunter snorted.

**Let’s hope we never have to find out.  
What’s going on there?**

“Agent Gonzales said that we can leave if we want to,” Fitz said.

**Do you want to?**

“I don’t want to stay here and help them, betray my team, my friends,” Fitz said.

**If you want to leave, I’ll have Tony send someone to pick you up.  
But would you consider staying?**

“And do what? You want me to spy on _them_? I’m not a field agent.”

**They wouldn’t suspect you.** **And I could use an inside man, but only if you’re up for it.** **You can leave, Fitz. You don’t have to stay.**

“It’ll be dangerous,” Fitz said, but more to himself, as if he was working things out in his head.

Phil answered him anyway. **Maybe. Probably. Gonzales wants the information inside that Toolbox pretty badly.**

“Simmons is on the move,” Hunter said. “It looks like she’s headed to Fitz’s quarters.”

Phil looked away from his own screen, which just showed a view of Fitz’s knees and shoes, to confirm.

**Jemma’s coming. Delete everything.**

“Can I tell her?”

Phil hesitated. His first instinct was to say ‘no’, but he had to trust his team. **Only if you think it’s safe.**

“Alright,” Fitz said, and then he was quiet.

Phil watched Simmons share an exchange with Bobbi, and then knock on Fitz’s door.

“Come in,” Fitz said.

“Hey, Fitz,” Simmons said as she slipped inside. “It’s just me. Are you alr– . . . Did you steal a tablet?”

“Yes,” Fitz admitted. “For all the good it’ll do me.”

He turned the tablet around in his hands so the camera faced upward, and his and Simmons’ faces filled Phil’s screen.

“Fitz,” Simmons said as she sat beside him on the mattress. “Are you really leaving?”

“Are you really staying?” Fitz said. When Simmons didn’t answer, he went on. “They want me to betray my friends.”

“They’re only doing what they think is right,” Simmons said.

“How can you say that, Jemma? They attacked us! They put Director Coulson in handcuffs!”

“They think he’s dangerous,” Simmons said. “And maybe they’re right.”

“What do _you_ think?” Fitz demanded.

“He has alien DNA inside him, Fitz,” Simmons said gently.

Phil tried to ignore how much that hurt and focused on Fitz.

“So you’d put him in a cage?” Fitz said. “Right next to Skye?”

“That’s not fair.”

“But accurate. You think that because people are different than they once were, like me . . .” Fitz tapped his temple. “. . . that means they’re wrong, somehow.”

“I don’t think you’re wrong, Fitz,” Simmons said sadly. “I just don’t know how to talk to you anymore.”

“Mack figured it out,” Fitz said. “Then again, he was just pretending to be my friend so he could betray us, so maybe don’t do what he did.”

Simmons gave Fitz a sad smile. “I hope you change your mind.” She squeezed Fitz’s arm, then stood up and walked towards the door.

Fitz stopped her. “Jemma.” When she stopped and turned back around, he said, “I don’t have anyplace to go. If I leave.”

“Then stay, Fitz. This is your home.”

“Home isn’t a place,” Fitz said, “it’s the people.”

“They’re still SHIELD,” Simmons said.

Fitz waited until he was alone in his quarters to mutter, “So was HYDRA.”

There was a very long moment of silence that Phil didn’t break because he could sense that Fitz needed to figure things out on his own. Finally, Fitz said, “Alright, I’ll stay.”

Phil let out the breath he hadn’t realized he’d been holding. **Thank you, Fitz.**

“Let’s move everything over to the Quinjets. I want to be out of here in five minutes,” Phil told his team. “Tell Tony to expect us.”

**Fitz, I need you to be in the same room as the Toolbox.** **Keep an eye on it.** **They can’t be allowed to get into it.**

“Can I destroy it?”

**It’s made of vibranium.**

“So that’s a no, then.”

**Just be ready.**

“For what?”

**For anything.** **We’re on our way.** **We’ll be in touch.** **Good luck.**

“Has everything been rerouted?” Phil asked.

“Yes,” Tony said over comms. “You’re welcome.”

“Good,” Phil said. “Everyone hit the head and grab a power bar before we leave.”

“Where are we going, exactly?” Hunter said.

“We’re going to get our people back,” Phil said.

“I don’t know which is hotter,” Clint said. “Your confidence or your competence. Probably both.”

“And on that note,” Natasha said as she headed for the door.

Hunter followed her. “Still riding with you,” he said.

When they were alone, Phil pressed Clint against the wall and kissed him. Clint gave Phil a surprised, but pleased look.

“What was that for?”

“Probably won’t be able to do that for a while,” Phil said, trying to hide how flustered the kiss he’d initiated had made him. It had been easier to remain unaffected by Clint (or rather, to hide the effect Clint had on him) when he’d seen him often enough to become desensitized to him. “What, uh, what’s going on with the council?” he asked, trying to get them back on track.

“They’re in an uproar because some upstart stole their helicarrier and they want to shoot someone. Gonzales seemed a little bit impressed, even though he’s pretty pissed off. He said he’d warned them not to underestimate you.” Clint gave Phil a warm look. “I could’ve told them that.”

Clint took Phil’s hand as they headed for the hangar, and Phil let him. “They seemed pretty concerned about you getting your hands on something or someone on that ship.”

“Tony,” Phil said. “Are you still there?”

“Who me? What? No!”

“Find out what’s so important on that ship.”

“Besides me, you mean?”

“Well, obviously,” Phil said, giving Clint a look.

Clint smiled.

“What?”

“Nothing, just . . . this feels good.”

“Familiar,” Phil said.

“Yeah.”

“Right,” Phil added.

Clint’s smile widened. “Come on,” he said. “Let’s go get your people back.” Clint gave Phil a look that bespoke no good. “Sooner we’re done, sooner you can fuck me again, just like you did the other night, so hard . . .”

“Oh my god!” Tony said. “Okay, I’m signing off.”

Clint doubled over laughing. Phil tried to give him a displeased look, but Clint’s laughter was infectious and he found himself grinning, instead.

“I thought you could fuck me this time,” Phil said.

Clint’s eyes went wide at the possibility. Tony squawked over their comms. Clint laughed even harder, this time, but from the look in his eyes, he was going to hold Phil to it. Phil didn’t mind. He just needed to get his people back first, and then Clint could do whatever he wanted with him.

The End

**Author's Note:**

> Writing this story has made me want to write something from Fitz's pov, so perhaps I'll work that into a sequel to this fic if tonight's episode doesn't Joss me right out of the notion of writing it.


End file.
